This blog from our Accent Housing’s Development Manager, Angela Holleyoake, reflects on its latest rural exception site scheme in Little Downham, East Cambridgeshire.

 

As part of Rural Housing Awareness Week (7-11 July), Accent Housing is proud to highlight its latest rural exception site scheme in Little Downham, East Cambridgeshire – a village located three miles north of Ely, with a population of 2,600 people.

This development, which is part-funded through Accent’s Strategic Partnership with Homes England, will deliver 39 much-needed new homes — 30 for affordable rent and 9 for shared ownership, with a mix of 1 to 4-bedroom houses and bungalows.

 

Because it’s a rural exception site, these homes are reserved for people with a strong local connection — those living, working, or with close family in the village. To support the need for new affordable housing, Accent commissioned Cambridgeshire ACRE to carry out a detailed rural housing needs survey, which helped shape the scheme.

Construction began in November 2024, led by Lindum Construction, and completion is expected by Autumn 2026. Accent has been working closely with the Parish Council and held a community event to share the plans, with more local engagement events planned as the homes near completion.

The scheme also brings social value, for example the Lindum site manager recently completed the Three Peaks Challenge with a cycling twist to raise funds for local causes. Accent has even built a bespoke bat house on site, already home to some flying residents!

If you or someone you know is interested in living in one of the new homes and has a connection to the area then you will need to register with Homemade Homes for shared ownership and East Cambridgeshire District Council for rented.

If your parish council would like to explore how a small development of affordable homes, exclusively for those with a local connection, could be brought to your village then please get in touch.